Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-04-23
THE UPTOWN MOVEMENT

OF the retail trade has now reached 5eth street
and is drawing fashionable people farther uptown.
The important question now is: Where will they
go-to the east or the west sde9 Those who
want houses of moderate price Will have to GO 10
the west side, and there alone can they find houses
within their means The prices on the east side
lois are held far up.
There is. however, a great barren track between
d avenue and the Central Park, from Goth street
10 1l5th street, which must soon be built upon
and perhaps cheaper grade OF houses Will be pui
there IL Is now given over 10 goats, dogs and
lrlSh ShantkS- The amount OF building on the
west side Is enormous, and ranges from tenement
houses to Sl00. 600 private mansions. The trouble
Is that they are too much mixed up and a pur-
chaser never knows how his neiyhborhood is cpinc-
10 turn out. IL will hardly b. safe 10 buy there in
nve years, and, In the meantime, prices Will rise
THE WEST SIDE
In New York bids fair TO prove the counterpart OF
the west end In London. In time IL will be the
crack neighborhood for people OF wealth and posi-
tiOn. A curious thing about New York is the
manner Ia which its Inhabitants fall into the
habit OF trayerSlng beaten path, day after day
and year after year, remaining in utter ignorance
OF the territory that lies either the right or left
OF them II Is no exaggeraJiOn to say that there
are hundreds OF thousands OF New Workers who
have never seen ri avenue. though Il is a preten-
uOus and important thoronghfare. / am in the
habit OF knocking about u good deal, and yet
don't think have ever seen Avenue A. Ii, or G.
get over on the west side OF town.
DOOMED BY SPECTATORS
This particular portion OF New York owes ifs
present popularity and its coming greatness to a
few real-estaie dealers and spectators. These
gentlemen came 10 the conclusion that since bust
ness had driven everybody above lower 5th ave
hue, and as IL would inevitably OCCUPY the whole
OF that famous street, an outlet should be made
for the rich residents Accordingly they fixed
upon the tract OF land TO the west OF Central Park
and up along the river front. Three or four years
ago goats browsed over the stony surface of The
hiiE, hUts and shantieS were half buried in the
hOllows, and ragged children played about the
streets Pools We're formed, money subscribed
and the y1g1lant legislators set 10 work The frSt
thing that Was done Was 10 have bill passed for
bidding anybody To build shops or Stabies on a
long and narrow street next 10 the Riverside drive
The Law also prohibits wooden buildings Then
The narrow street WAS DrOddencd until II was forr
or nye times Its original width beautifully navel
and operations began II bids fair 10 be one OF tht
most magnificent avenues In the world No two
houses similar and the brightest ideas OF arch
fleets OF houses have been utilized wherever they
were found The first four blocks OF the avenue
excel the most prcTenJiOgS section Of 9TH avenue
IN beauty, and the air of excIJsiVeness which the
brokers have managed 10 give the whole enter
prise mas caught society. People are moving m
there AID it Is impossible 10 meet the demands for
houses
CASE IN POINT.
For instance, one corner house was less than
half story high when the wife OF an ambitious
confectioner saw the plans and offered s3 900 for
the house on its completion The real estate
broker who would have jumped at an Offer of
$4,000 accepted the candy woEnan's money with
a show OF apparent hesitation, handed over the
builders money and pocketed the difference
Then a stock brokers wife caught the west-end
craze and insisted upon having the house which
had been sold 10 the conIectioner'S wife. It wa,
then nearly two stories high She paid $40 COO
and, TO crafty her within, projected =, 900 wing
In the rear. Thereupon one morning "A broker
showed up and paid her $4,000 for the whole
property, and he viii undoubtedly dispose OF it at
q heavy advance. This Is but one Instance OF
many. a great many OF the more conservative
real-estate men claim that the whole boom is
likely 10 fall To pieces at any moment, but they
ufNsc Qrs4ttE
who are IN the pool Taken all together IL is very
extraordinary IN real estate way, but there is no
question about the beauty OF the locality that has
been selected. The houses are In the vicinity OF
SD 70 SOth street, and they are only hundred
feet from the North River. The rear windows
command q nlaGninccnS view or the Hudson up